Monsoon Mandala and Monsoon Trio – Pranaam

Monsoon is an Indo-Jazz collective whose music combines elements of creative Jazz with traditional Indian Classical music to produce a rich and meaningful cross-cultural expression. Their elegant synthesis of penetrating Indian Ragas with creative Western expression has earned them International critical acclaim as innovators of the Indo-Jazz genre. Captivating audiences with memorable original compositions, and creative improvisation, Monsoon creates a truly unique, and vivid musical experience.

Monsoon features some of Canada’s most respected and versatile young musicians who have traveled the globe in search of a multi-cultural synthesis of musical expression. Spending years in India learning the traditional art of Indian Raga music, brothers Jonathan and Andrew Kay weave intricate melodies on saxophone, bansuri (Indian bamboo flute) and other exotic woodwinds, while Justin Gray’s collection of electric and acoustic basses sensitively compliment and provide a rich foundation. Tabla virtuoso, Ravi Naimpally’s intricate solos highlight India’s complex rhythmic language, which Adam Teixeira assimilates into explosive grooves on the drums and cymbals. Todd Pentney’s keyboards unite each element, sweetening the collective expression and harmonizing Monsoon’s unique compositional style.

Since Monsoon’s creation in 2006, the ensemble has made a large impact on the Canadian and International music scene. Monsoon has been featured in the the Guelph Jazz Festival and Small World Music Festival. They have also been a key element of the Toronto Indo-Jazz Festival, headlining for the past 6 years. Monsoon has featured several World-renowned guest artists including Indian classical Maestro Pandit Shantanu Bhattacharyya, tabla maestro Subhajyoti Guha, dilruba artist & bassist George Koller, New York City’s trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, Toronto based guitarist Ted Quinlan and Canada’s own trombone virtuoso Alastair Kay.

Monsoon’s debut studio album ‘Mandala’ was successfully funded and produced through crowdfunding. ‘Mandala’ the album was released on November 9th, 2014 online and the CD was launched @ The 6th Toronto Indo-Jazz Festival at CBC’s Glenn Gould Studio to a full house.

The Monsoon Trio is the first ensemble in the vast history of Indian Raga music of its kind, traditionally rendering Raga on their western instruments. Consisting of saxophone-playing brothers Jonathan & Andrew Kay and bass veena artist Justin Gray, over the past 8 years, the trio has been studying North Indian classical music in Kolkata, India, under their Guru, Pandit Shantanu Bhattacharyya. This innovative journey has lead to Justin designing and co-creating the “Bass Veena”; a modified fretless bass with additional supportive strings, as well as Jonathan’s development of the “Shrutiphone”; a modified non-tempered saxophone.

Monsoon Trio’s acclaimed debut album ‘Pranaam’, featuring tabla virtuoso Subhajyoti Guha, is the first CD to document the collective performance of vocal and instrumental styles of North Indian Classical music on modern western instruments. Musically composed and arranged by their Guru, Pranaam has been acclaimed by music lovers and Maestros across India.

Since 2009 Monsoon Trio has recorded with and performed alongside many of India’s greatest classical music maestros including Bickram Ghosh, Tejendra Narayan Majumdar, Rashid Khan, Subhankar Banerjee, Subhajyoti Guha, Pratyyush Banerjee and their renowned Guru, Pandit Shantanu Bhattacharyya. The trio has also been featured at some of India’s most prestigious Indian classical music festivals, including The All-India Music Circle and The Salt Lake Silver Jubilee Music Festival.